Icelandic is supposed to be one of the hardest languages in the world. I deconstruct Icelandic compound words and illustrate them.
Many of these words are very literal, yet somehow poetic at the same time. Other times they can be rather random and a little humorous!
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Penguin (Mörgæs) = Fat + Goose
Mör (fat) + Gæs (goose) = Mörgæs (Penguin)
Zoo (Dýragarður) = Animal + Garden
Dýr (animal) + Garður (garden) = Dýragarður (zoo)
This list is so ignorant towards the english words, so I shall have to go through the entire thing. Zoo is short for "Zoological Gardens" "Garð" and "Garden" is just an enclosure, I do believe it can be used for a "fence" in ISL. In the other scandi countries it can mean a "farm".
Raccoon (Þvottabjörn) = Washing + Bear
Þvottur (washing) + Björn (bear) = Þvottabjörn (raccoon)
Planet (Reikistjarna) = To Wander + Star
Að reika (to wander) + stjarna (star) = Reikistjarna (planet)
Planet means "wanderer". Greek "asteres planetai", wandering star.
Wedding (Brúðkaup) = Bride + To Buy
Brúður (bride) + Að Kaupa (to buy) = Brúðkaup (wedding)
Hippopotamus (Flóðhestur) = Flood + Horse
Flóð (flood) + Hestur (horse) = Flóðhestur (hippopotamus)
From Wikipedia: The Latin word "hippopotamus" is derived from the ancient Greek ἱπποπόταμος, hippopótamos, from ἵππος, híppos, "horse", and ποταμός, potamós, "river", meaning "horse of the river".
Rainbow (Regnbogi) = Rain + Arch
Regn (rain) + Bogi (arch) = Regnbogi (rainbow)
Placenta (Legkaka) = Womb + Cake
Leg (womb) + Kaka (cake) = Legkaka (placenta)
Quotation Marks (Gæsalappir) = Goose + Feet
Gæs (goose) + Lappir (feet) = Gæsalappir (quotation marks)
Nice Weather To Look At Through The Window (Gluggaveður) = Window + Weather
Gluggi (window) + Veður (weather) = Gluggaveður is weather that's nice to look through a window, but not so nice to be in. Like when it looks lovely and sunny but then you go outside and it's actually blistering cold!
Nice weather to look at through the window? Window weather actually means that the weather looks nice through a window and only through a window (as it might for example be bone chillingly cold outside, but sunny)
Match (Eldspýta) = Fire + Piece Of Wood
Eldur (fire) + Spýta (piece of wood) = Eldspýta (match)
"Matchstick", macchestick, wickstick, a twig for lighting a wick.
Bra (Brjóstahöld) = Breast + To Hold
Brjóst (breast) + Að halda (to hold) = Brjóstahöld (bra)
Inspiration (Innblástur) = Inn + Breeze
Inn (inside/into) + Blástur (breeze) = Innblástur (inspiration)
I'm almost expiring from this experience. Inspiration. In. Spiration. Breath out, breath in. Respirate.
Skeleton (Beinagrind) = Bone + Frame/structure
Bein (bone) + Grind (frame/structure) = Beinagrind (skeleton)
Turtle (skjaldbaka) = Shield + Back
Skjöldur (shield) + Bak (back) = Skjaldbaka (turtle)
Cello (Knéfiðla) = Knee + Violin
Kné (knee) + Fiðla (violin) = Knéfiðla (cello)
Cello is quite the crazy english word. They took the diminutive ending of the italian word and skipped the original word all together. "Viola", violin. "Violone" big violin. "Violoncello" small big violin.
In Love (Ástfanginn) = Love + Captured
Ást (love) + Fanginn (captured) = Ástfanginn (in love)
Aquarium (Fiskabúr) = Fish + Cage
Fiskur (fish) + Búr (cage) = Fiskabúr (aquarium)
Same as in german - what else is it? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxIi9bob3X4
Earring (Eyrnalokkur) = Ear + Curl
Eyra (ear) + Lokkur (lock of hair/curl) = Eyrnalokkur (earring)
Lightbulb (Ljósapera) = Light + Pear
Ljós (light) + Pera (pear) = Ljósapera (lightbulb)
Computer (Tölva) = Number + Prophetess
Actually a portmanteau/blend word of the Icelandic words for number/s (tala/tölur) and prophetess (völva), not a compound word like the rest
Honey Bee (Hunangsfluga) = Honey + Fly
Hunang (honey) + Fluga (fly) = Hunangsfluga (honey bee)
Well, you icelanders wouldn't know a gnat from a dragonfly. The rest of scandinavia kept this germanic-norse word better than you, for once.
Customer (Viðskiptavinur) = Business + Friend
Viðskipti (business) + Vinur (friend) = Viðskiptavinur (customer)
Chickpeas (Kjúklingabaunir) = Chicken + Beans
Kjúklingur (chicken) + Baunir (beans) = Kjúklingabaunir (chickpeas)
One of the mistranslations, probably quite recent. It has nothing to do with chickens. Chickpea, from latin Cicer, pea. So Peapea. Cicer was also slang for testicle.
Music (Tónlist) = Tone + Art
Tón (tone) + List (art) = Tónlist (music)
Cauliflower (Blómkál) = Flower + Cabbage
Blóm (flower) + Kál (cabbage) = Blómkál (cauliflower)
This made the loudest facepalm. What do you suppose "Caul" in Cauliflower is?
Handshake (Handaband) = Hand + String/yarn
Hönd (hand) + Band (string/yarn) = Handaband (handshake)
Computer (Tölva) = Number + Prophetess
Tala (number) + Völva (prophetess) = Tölva (computer)
Constellation (Stjörnumerki) = Star + Sign
Stjarna (star) + Merki (sign) = Stjörnumerki (constellation)
Donut (Kleinuhringur) = Icelandic Fried Pastry + Circle
Kleina (Icelandic fried pastry) + Hringur (circle) = Kleinuhringur (donut)
You know, it probably didn't have a hole to start with, hence the "nut" part of the name. But if you wanted a larger deepfried cake it made sense to add the hole for even cooking. This word tastes very recent. Kleinur is very recent, and so is the quality of flour you need.
Cookie (Smákaka) = Small + Cake
Smár (small) + Kaka (cake) = Smákaka (cookie)
With the diminutive "ie", this is the exact same word. Cook(ie), cake(small).
Cell Phone (Farsími) = To Go + Telephone
Að fara (to go) + Sími (telephone) = Farsími (cell phone)
Grape (Vínber) = Wine + Berry
Vín (wine) + Ber (berry) = Vínber (grape)
Used to be the same in old english until 1066 when the normans came, grappling their sword in one hand and gripping their bunches of berries in the other.
Graffiti (Veggjakrot) = Wall + Scribble
Veggur (wall) + Krot (scribble) = Veggjakrot (graffiti)
Graffiti, scribblings. The term was coined during the excavation of Pompeii, so literally "wall scribbles/drawings"
Internet (Veraldarvefurinn) = World + Web
Veröld (world) + Vefur (web) = Veraldarvefurinn (Internet)
Dinner (Kvöldmat) = Evening + Food
Kvöld (evening) + Matur (food) = Kvöldmat (dinner)
Mealtimes are a mess in all sorts of languages. "Dinner" even means to break fast.
Furniture (Húsgögn) = House + Data
Hús (house) + Gögn (data) = Húsgögn (furniture)
gögn is not meaning data there.. it´s a much older than that and comes from the word gagn (singular : Husgagn) and derives from something being "of use" So something that is of use within the house would be the translation here.
Breakfast Cereal (Morgunkorn) = Morning + Grain
Morgun (morning) + Korn (grain) = Morgunkorn (breakfast cereal)
Journalist (Blaðamaður) = Page/newspaper + Man
Blað (page/newspaper) + Maður (man) = Blaðamaður (journalist)
Reflection (Spegilmynd) = Mirror + Picture
Spegill (mirror) + Mynd (picture) = Spegilmynd (reflection)
Necropants (Nábrók) = Corpse + Pants
Nár (corpse) + Brók (pants) = Nábrók (necropants)
Menu (Matseðill) = Food + Note/leaflet
Matur (food) + Seðill (note/leaflet) = Matseðill (menu)
Skateboard (Hjólabretti) = To Cycle + Board
Að hjóla (to cycle) + Bretti (board) = Hjólabretti (skateboard)
To cycle? Was this done on google translate? Hjól means wheel, this is a wheel board. "að hjóla" is the term to cycle, but would never be used as a noun. As Reiðhjól refers to Riding wheel (bycicle)
Panorama Or Openmindedness (Víðsýni) = Wide + View
Við (wide) + Sýn (view) = Víðsýni can mean panorama or openmindedness
Refrigerator (Ísskápur) = Ice + Closet
Ís (ice) + Skápur (closet) = Ísskápur (refrigerator)
It used to be just that, before electricity. In english they called it an "icebox". I guess the name stuck.
Pancake (Pönnukaka) = Pan + Cake
Panna (pan) + Kaka (cake) = Pönnukaka (pancake)
Gaman að þessu.... Þessi eru einnig skemmtileg ef beinþýdd... - augnablik, upptakari, skrifborð/skrifborðsstóll, umslag, kolkrabbi, ljósapera, sjáaldur....
Gaman að þessu.... Þessi eru einnig skemmtileg ef beinþýdd... - augnablik, upptakari, skrifborð/skrifborðsstóll, umslag, kolkrabbi, ljósapera, sjáaldur....